My wife is riding with me, I have no doubt there will be plenty of bikes heading from NM, through CO and to SD. So we don't think of it as being alone. Besides my little buddy
9mm is traveling with me.

 

'Nuther vote for the Buffalo Chip...you'll not lack for folks to meet and hang out with there...and, no DUI worries gettin back to yer site 'cause yer there. Concerts every night...the brass pole...stunt riders...food...booze...contests...ya could literally spend the entire week at just the Chip and have a damned good time. But, what is this talk 'bout not gettin any sleep there? I slept just fine...ok ok...maybe passin out ain't quite the same thing.

As for gettin there...any reason ya don't wanna ride? Ride out, and you'll come back with more dear memories of that than the rally itself...'least that's the way it is for me. And, I second the vote on KOA's...real convenient, and 'nuther place to meet up with folks...have met a good many riders, and shared many campfires with 'em at KOA's. My bud and I are doin a backroad ramble to the Grand Canyon in June...on the way, we'll just roll into a KOA when handy...if they have a kampin kabin available, we'll grab one...if not, we'll pitch a tent. Camp store and pool at every KOA I've hit...and, really nice shower houses.

As for goin it alone...go for it. Like someone else said...ya can't always count on others to make the ride when the time comes...so, if'n ya wait for that, ya may never go.

 

What are you looking for..... other people driving pickup trucks? Ride your bike and you'll run across lots of other bikers riding in that direction.

 

I completely agree! My last Sturgis trip was 4,000 miles of wind-in-my-face solitude, which I enjoyed to the max! There are plenty of people once you get there. Everyone has their own preference (which I respect), but for me, the ride TO and FROM Sturgis is just as important, if not more so, than being IN Sturgis! Besides, if bikes were meant to be trailered, they wouldn't come with their own wheels!

 

i end up in there about every year. tell my self i aint gonna go, im gonna stay in wyoming, but then i get bored in sundance about 10pm and ride over. ive done it on $100 a few times. stayed at bear butte creek (not lake, creek!) good party lots of wyoming folks, good bar and a band $15 a night, winds down around 2am, stayed at bear butte lake one cold wet night. slept on the picnic tables wet cold and bleedling from fallin down drunk walkin around the fireplace in the dark. $6 to sleep on the table, no party, or firewood, the place i go now is the Buffalo Chip! party all night, good bands, burnout bridge. it can be $85 gate fee, but its fun. like i said, i go about every year and have for the past 10, alone, i ain't sceered..lol. ride if ya can, its the trip not the rally.

 

Man ride your motorsickle to Sturgis, that's the best part. It's not a pickup rally. I have met a lot of people there and some do trailer or otherwise haul a bike there because mama can't take the long days in the saddle, but if you're solo ride the damn thing.

 

Some good advice here SNJ, particularly the part about leaving the truck at home and riding. You'll meet plenty of folks going solo and in groups looking for a good time.

Maybe consider sending your camp gear ahead via UPS to the campground you're staying at in Sturgis and do motel rooms while on the road.

 

Go man, but leave the pickup. last year i rode solo from alaska and had a blast! met a bunch of awesome people in sturgis and rode it home. 8000 miles in 16 days with three of those spent sitting on a cooler of beer under a shade tree at creekside campground. i can see where the idea of it is a little intimidating, but you just gotta do it man. and do it on your scooter at that.

 

So you gonna ride your bike to trailer week, or trailer your bike to bike week?

 

I was planning on driving to pack all my camping gear. I also wanted to drive straight through 26hrs to SD. I know I wouldn't be able to do 26 hrs on my bike non stop. I never packed a lot of gear on my sporty. Anyone ever pack a sporty up with camping gear?